Video games come in all shapes and sizes, and blockbuster series such as Activision Publishing’s Call of Duty and Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto can be fun in their own elaborate ways. But on the flip side is independent, or “indie” video games, in which each title is often the brainchild of one or a few talented persons at most. While these games don’t always provide a high degree of spectacle, all feature interesting ideas or idiosyncratic touches, making them unique and unlike much of what’s available in the mainstream.

This past weekend, I got to immerse myself in indie video games, courtesy of the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, N.Y. Together with IndieCade, an international festival that promotes video games as a vehicle for artistic expression, the museum is hosting an exhibition, Indie Essentials: 25 Must-Play Video Games, that shows off a variety of games that have been developed outside the major publishers. Among those displayed was Mojang’s Minecraft, which began life as a Swedish programmer’s side project, but has since grown into a cultural and commercial juggernaut.

(I could wax poetic all day about Minecraft, which allows users to build and share amazing homemade structures in a geometric sandbox world. But better yet, check out our recent Minecraft commentary, written by our outstanding editorial assistant Kara Faulk, for a more in-depth look at the hit game.)

The Minecraft installation drew its share of spectators, but there were plenty of other cool games on-hand for visitors to both play and experience. Many have been available on home consoles through the PlayStation Network and other download services. Here’s some of my favorites from the exhibition, but please note, this is in no way a comprehensive list, and anyone curious about the full roster of IndieCade games should check out Museum of the Moving Image’s event web site. [Read more...]

New Products

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE), TT Games, and The Lego Group will launch Lego Worlds on Feb. 21 for PlayStation4, Xbox One, and STEAM. The game is a galaxy of imaginative words made entirely of digital LEGO bricks where players can explore, discover, and create together.

TILT launched two SpinTales products online at Toysrus.com, the SpinTales Enchanted Duvet and Jungle Rug. Kids can use the free app designed for these products to create immersive augmented reality experiences with the products, which blur the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds.

Jakks Pacific has been granted the rights to manufacture and market a line of pet products inspired by the BOO—The World’s Cutest Dog brand. The Pets division of Jakks is planning a line of BOO-branded dog toys featuring BOO’s likeness and specially designed for small dogs, as well as dog apparel, dog beds, and dog [...]

To celebrate “Colorful Friday” and the launch of the new Special Edition Gemma Stone Shoppie Doll, Moose Toys is launching the “Make the World Sparkle and Shine” fan contest. To enter the contest starting on Nov. 25, fans must submit 4 to 6 sentences describing how they add “sparkle” to their world by helping out [...]

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced the release of six expansion packs for LEGO Dimensions, led by the Sonic The Hedgehog Level Pack and the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack.